BNAY - Tiamuk, Challenge #5

My Tiamuk challenge was: "Provide a write-up that describes how community debt will affect the youth in the future.  What are some ways that can either help reduce debt, or how can a community avoid going into debt. The length of your replies should be roughly 2 or 3 paragraphs." Here is my write-up:

"Debt is the simplest way of adding weight to the future to ease the load of today". Realistically, debt has the greatest affect on the future and it's inhabitants (the ones who end up cleaning it up afterwards) rather than the subjects who are creating the debt in the future. The youth are the future and we will be the ones having to clean it up and take care of it once it catches up with our community. Our communities should concentrate on smart investments to take and keep us out of debt. Because investments are a great way to do that, though it is and can be a great gamble, are the best option towards battling debt. Although you need to make smart investments that ultimately end in revenue, because that's what the world runs off, "revenue"! So is there any better way to go about it?

         The youth are the future of our communities, wether you're in a city, town or reservation. There's no way of getting around it, it's simple and evident. The youth will grown and develop to take place of the elders who grow too far to continue the role they are partaking in. So what happens when your community decides to use its money to make bad investments which result in debt? The youth that tale their place are the ones ultimately having to take care of it, because of the amount of debt we've fallen into! It's an under looked yet great issue that surrounds all of us everyday. Debt is a serious problem and the youth of today have to figure out how to invest intelligently with a vision of the future and create revenue and slowly carry their people out of debt.

         Our community leaders need to battle this thing one step at a time, in the sense that this is no small problem that can be taken care of with one big gamble that will take us out of debt and do good for the community with one (or multiple) "big swings". Community leaders should be concentrating on the future and take a focus on the action plan one step at a time. You can't take down a sky-scraper with "one big swing". You have to set explosives at the base of the building on the inside and implode it, which is literally taking the building down one step at a time. We need to look at debt the same way. Communities should handle debt one smart investment at a time, cumulating revenue at a slow, yet effective pace. Which in the end results in reducing debt, without further increasing it. 

         The only way to stay out of debt is to at the same time battle it. Just like imploding a building, continue to take it one step at a time. Staying out of debt requires that we make smart investments and create awesome, intelligent opportunities for our community to continue to overcome and avoid going into debt. Such as funding a small (but safe, secure and promising) business or entrepreneur. We will not overcome debt by putting big money into big projects that become dead or unfinished or just unsuccessful. 

         We should never put our problems of today onto the plate of tomorrow, because frankly that's just lazy. We need to look at it now and realize the realism that debt presents right in-front of us on our doorstep. Debt is stubborn, annoying and can pack a huge punch. So why not kick it off the door step and move onto brighter days of a debt free, economically aspiring, prospering community? Investing with a worry of the future and a smart, business look will accomplish this. We can fight and take care of debt. Community leaders, fight it today. Youth continue to fight it tomorrow. Debt will not continue to have a grasp on our communities.   

BNAY - Tiamuk, Challenge #4

Tiamuk, Challenge #4:

"You will need to spend some time developing your business idea. One of the greatest advantages of being an entrepreneur is being able to work on something that interests you and that you are passionate about. Unfortunately, passion does not always translate into profits.

Brainstorming: Write down all of your strengths and weaknesses on a piece of paper. Include everything from work, knowledge, hobbies, music, art, etc. Is there anything you wrote down that you feel translates into a potential business idea?
Research, research, research! The more information you can gather about the potential demand for your product or service, about your competitors, and about the needs and wants of your prospective customers, the more successful you are likely to be.

Now that you have your idea, answer the following questions:
1. What is the name of your business?
2. Describe your business. What products and/or services will you be providing?
3. Why have you chosen this type of business? What skills do you bring to the table?
4. Where will your business be located? Please be specific.
5. Other than yourself, how many employees will you be needing (maximum of 5 for this activity)?
6. Who will be your main competitors? List at least 2.
7. What is your competitive advantage? In other words: why will customers buy from you instead of your competitors?

When you are finished, post your answers the Facebook group. Please be as detailed as possible, and feel free to provide any other information you think is relevant."

Challenge #4 - Brennan Googoo:

The name of my business is "Urban Tribal". Urban Tribal is a clothing business, (clothing brand) that provides todays modern stylistic lifestyle with a beautiful textile to compliment. We will jump into the extremely competitive business world of urban clothing. Though this is a very competitive market, that's not necessarily a bad thing. We will use the competitiveness to our advantage through the fact that the market and world of urban clothing is forever developing and aspiring in so many different ways as artists continue to express themselves through their art, which is textile designing.

Urban Tribal will differentiate itself from the crowd through its unique clothing style, mixing traditional native designs and style with the modern day style that clothing has taken today. Drawing deep and pure inspiration from the aboriginal peoples of our homeland, our planet. Rugged, worn clothing with a sumptuous touch along with abstract designs, inspired imaging resulting in a beautiful, particularly unique visual and feel. Anybody from all backgrounds and setting will want to get their hands on our new take on the urban clothing world.

I have chosen this type of business because I like to think of myself as a stylistic individual with an exceptional view on clothing and what it takes to run a business and run a clothing brand. I have a deep passion for both (entrepreneurial) business and the clothing industry. I strongly follow the clothing industry and I like to keep up with what's in, what's out, what's new, what's old and when and where certain things are a good choice in this area. I also have exceptional experience with different styles of art and textile(s) technology so I have a solid foundation when starting my own clothing brand.

I would like to have my clothing brand headquarters located in a rich, lively urban area, such as downtown Toronto or Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, California which is an iconic location in the urban clothing industry having been home to many current power house brands such as Diamond Supply Co. when they were first starting out, entering the fierce world of urban street wear. I think fairfax would be an amazing location and opportunity for Urban Tribal and a great test to see how we measure up in the industry and a great precursor for our future.

Other than myself, I will not need a specific number of employees but a specific number of positions to help support urban Tribal on it's promising journey to great potential. We will have a family of respectable, humble, ambitious and intelligent people (rather than employees). First of all coming from a wide rage of fashion and artistic backgrounds, we will have a team of graphic/product designers that will focus on the overall designs, visuals and feel of our actual product (which will be in high quality). We will also have a marketing (strategy) team that will focus on our overall market stature and focus on getting the brand out there marketing Urban Tribal to potential customers. We will also have a basic, yet very reliable operations manager focusing on our customers and making the best of their overall experience with Urban Tribal. We will also need a Financial team/officer who will look over our accounting work and financial(s) standpoint and which steps to take forward toward a brighter financial future. Lastly, but surly not last we will have myself, CEO/founder of Urban Tribal, Brennan Googoo who will watch over each team/section and generally watch over the brand as I fill in the cracks and cement our brand as a family of dream chasers with the main goal to make sure we put out the best product and experience to our fans!

Our main competitors would be a broader range due to our style scratching the surface of multiple styles of clothing and branding; with main competitors being clothing industry power houses such as Rook, Diamond Supply Co., Hollister, Abercrombie and vans; also local clothing brands such as East Coast Life Style and G.R.O.W. But I believe that in time we will be able to compete with these brands and an advanced level.

Urban Tribal is a family of dream chasers that will produce high quality, unique clothing with a fresh look on the industry. Urban Tribal is something new, something different and something that will take the hipster, urban clothing industry to a new level that it needs. Urban Tribal takes the boots of the hard working peasant, slacks of an average mediocre persons and the golden crown of a king mixing it into one affordable product that all will want to wear.

BNAY - Tiamuk, Challenge #3

Tiamuk challenge #3:
"You have been hired as the Economic Development Officer (EDO) for your community and have been granted a business loan of $100,000 by Ulnooweg to invest in your community. Your job is to explain to the rest of the group where you would spend this money. The money must been spent in a way you think will stimulate economic development in your community.

As the Economic Developer Officer (EDO) of Millbrook First Nations community I have been granted a business loan of $100000 from Ulnooweg Development Group (if you have read my last challenge you will know who Ulnooweg is and what they are). I created a spreadsheet using Microsoft Excel to help explain exactly where Millbrook's money is going into the investment (mind you these are mainly rough estimates and not exact calculations for the accounts).

I am leveraging a $100000 loan from Ulnooweg to provide a business opportunity for the Millbrook community, which is a $240000 project to start a new business. This business will be a state of the art, yet affordable unisex hair salon available to all community members and surrounding population. The hair salon could either be rented out and leased to hairdressers to use as business in which what they make and how many customers they bring in is what the business makes and as the founder/owner of the business Millbrook would gain a significant percentage of revenue from whoever decides to take the opportunity. Millbrook could also choose to run the business itself, hiring our own employee's and services creating better employment opportunity with a specific focus on the community.

There may be an opportunity to house this in the new developing hotel/convention center being built at the Millbrook power center/treaty connector. This would also potentially bring in more traffic to increase income. Overall this is beneficial to Millbrook's economic development because that's my job as the EDO, to develop economy! Because I am leveraging the loan, Ulnooweg will also be putting in a grant contribution which results in Millbrook only having to contribute approximately $15000 towards the start up and first three month of business, which is great in the long run!

BNAY - Tiamuk, Challenge #2

Tiamuk challenge #2: Our mentor Tracy asked us to research Ulnooweg Development Group and find out who Ulnooweg is, what Ulnooweg does and how they are helpful to aboriginal entrepreneurs and business people.

Ulnooweg Development Group Inc. (UDG)

Ulnooweg Development Group Inc. was created in 1984 and is a business that strives to help Aboriginal Entrepreneurs in Atlantic Canada to start up their business and pursue they're dreams in their respective career path. UDG works to provide access to capital and business support for all Aboriginal Entrepreneurs in Atlantic Canada and has successfully done so since they've been established. They take a look and overview financial forecast statements and business plan overviews to work with their clients, so that they may develop themselves as an entrepreneur and develop their business so that they will succeed in which they desire to accomplish with the loan and opportunity that Ulnooweg may offer them. One of almost 60 Aboriginal Financial Institutions (AFIs) across Canada, UDG proudly works with Aboriginal peoples to help better Aboriginal communities and our Aboriginal nation as a whole. Being active through all four Atlantic provinces, serving the economic and entrepreneurial development needs of all Aboriginal
groups. The foundation of UDG is an core vision to be the leading Aboriginal business-focused developmental institution in Atlantic Canada with the recognition that the economic and business development opportunities available to Aboriginal communities are fundamentally unique and relative to non-Aboriginal communities.

Ulnooweg is extremely helpful pertaining to the development of Aboriginal peoples in business and simply in just life as well, working to create exceptional opportunity and support for aboriginal business people and entrepreneurs ultimately leading to the positive development of our communities and ultimately leading to the positive development of our people.

Thanks for reading and to everyone that shared their finds and to the other groups for sharing their challenges! Wilaliek!

BNAY - Tiamuk, Challenge #1

BNAY - Challenge #1

My first challenge for the 2013 Business Network for Aboriginal Youth program of 2013. An introduction video!